Phillip Dutton finally got the opportunity to slip on that coveted Rolex watch after winning the Rolex Kentucky Three Day event for the first time this past weekend. Dutton riding Connaught had personally finished second at Rolex an amazing five times before, but with a perfect stadium performance Sunday he and Connaught overtook the early leader Becky Holder finishing on 41.7 penalty points to win the only **** 3 day event in Nth America. Holder on Courageous Comet who received 8 jump penalty points in show jumping  finished in second place on 47.3

Connaught is owned by Bruce Duchossois and had finished second last year with Dutton on board and with this being the horse's fourth start at the event there were many people who thought it was only a matter of time the combination were successful. Dutton also claimed tenth place on another of his favorite horses Woodburn.

This past weekend saw the 4th show so far at the wonderful Pine Top location, an event that boasts the best footing in Georgia. The best was required from the location and all the riders as the weather didn't shine, in fact it was down right miserable and wet Saturday.

The show goes on though and after a ninety minute break due to a rain and lightning storm, delaying the three dressage rings and the early rounds of stadium, the event went on without a hitch. The organizers though, Glenn and Janet Wilson with the help of many volunteers pulled a rabbit out of their hat and still finished Saturday will all riders completing their scheduled tests.

We are pleased to publish this sneak preview of the Chattahoochee Hills Eventing facility as it it gears up for its first show later this month. Holly Breaux, DVM visited the location recently and this report is published courtesy of Collected Remarks the Membership publication of the GDCTA.

I set up an interview with Ritchard Temple regarding Chattahoochee Hills Farm for two reasons. First I was hoping to help spread the word and give you all something fun to read. Secondly, and more importantly, I was curious! I had heard that Chattahoochee Hills was to be a PREMIER equestrian facility and I wanted to see it for myself.  So… I set up the interview and set out on my way to Fairburn, GA.

I will say that it should have been an easy ride. Should being the key word. However, I am spatially challenged and blonde and managed to get myself turned around and lost not once, but twice… on the way there! You’d think I would manage to make it home then, but no… I got lost once on the way home too. However, for the normal people out there, Chattahoochee Hills is an easy hour ride from Conyers. It should also be an easy ride for the horses.

The Area III Adult rider clinic held recently at Rocking Horse Farm was enjoyed by all and well attended. Clinicians were Lucinda Green and Andrew Harbison who put all horse and riders through a variety of tests and questions according to their level.

For this report we thank Carol Odgen who runs her own clinics at UCF Stables in Canton GA. covers the jumping and cross country part of the clinic over the weekend.

"Oh, my aching muscles" What a weekend, though! Had a BLAST!!! Lucinda is so cool -- and gives such a good clinic. It was windy, (but sunny), and cold Sunday (unless you were riding and working!). She set up a bunch of hard exercises to make the horses figure things out for themselves, once presented to the question. It was very interesting, but my horse ("The Star"!!!) made easy work of it! Oh, I made a few mistakes, but Lucinda was pleased that I just sat there while he figured out how to get over the oxer!! (and on through the maze of offset jumps and bending lines!)

Well by now everyone who visited Poplar Place near Hamilton Georgia last weekend has had time to thaw out and get back to the reality of warm homes and probably barns. The weekend for the first winter HT was certainly testing for horse,  rider and organizer as well. Was everyone happy about things? No, is there ever? The organizers did whatever they could to make the weekend a success and whether the competitors came away from the weekend happy, that might have depended on how well prepared they were for the wintry conditions. And its not just physical preparedness its also mental I'm talking about. No matter how cold it is if you have the ability to get through the bitterly cold fingers and toes and the wet clothes with a clear and positive attitude, then some success will probably come your way.

There were many withdrawals on Sunday as can be seen in the final results and whether the Cross Country was a good idea for the others thats possibly a personal decision each rider made at the time. In the end the event went ahead and some went home early.

Before this week you would have laughed at the notion, but never underestimate mother nature and her ability to throw curve balls. The first show of the year brought hopeful competitors looking to get that jump ahead and start the year on a positive note. Not many though expected the severe wintry conditions which would test not only the riders but everyone else coming through the gate. Snow fell in most parts on Nth Georgia and rain and sleet everywhere else.

And the weekend is far from over yet. 

Henriette Eppanauer returns to Georgia for a Dressage and Jumping clinic on the Jan 26th -27th at Pascova Farm, in Athens, GA. Henriette (Jet) started her show career at age 7 in Holland showing ponies in dressage, showjumping to 4ft and evented to preliminary at the highest national levels.

There Jet was also educated to instruct in dressage and showjumping through the Dutch Equestrian Federation. In the United States, Jet has competed through Advanced Level in eventing and has competed through 4th Level at USDF shows. At the Flat Creek Horse Trials in July she was successful on Irish Dream in the Training division.